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The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Ocean Tomo Federal Services, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ocean Tomo, LLC, today announced the beginning of a new partnership to commercialize NASA-funded technologies. The partnership will focus on maximizing the value of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s inventions to the Nation by facilitating transfer of over 40 technologies to the private sector for commercial application.

Representatives of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and Ocean Tomo met in Chicago to launch their new partnership and begin to plan offerings of licenses to Goddard technologies. Credit: Ocean Tomo.> Larger image
“A major component of NASA Goddard’s Innovative Partnerships Program’s mission is to transfer NASA technology to the commercial marketplace,” said Nona Cheeks, Chief of NASA Goddard’s IPP Office, which facilitated the licensing arrangement. “We look forward to working with Ocean Tomo to create greater awareness of the technological innovations available at NASA Goddard.”

“The IPP Office works diligently to make the most of all opportunities for Goddard technologies to be utilized beyond NASA’s needs, and some innovations are better transferred through nontraditional channels,” said Darryl Mitchell, a technology transfer manager in Goddard’s IPP Office. “That’s why we welcome this opportunity to partner with Ocean Tomo. They have unique expertise and tools as well as the motivation to make this innovative pathway to the commercial sector successful.”

“We are honored to have the opportunity to unlock the value of NASA's patents and other intellectual property for both the agency and taxpayers’ benefit,” said Dean Becker, Ocean Tomo’s Vice Chairman. “Given NASA's historic achievements and reputation as an incubator of groundbreaking technological ideas and capabilities, we expect this new partnership to attract the interest of those in the market who seek rare and high-potential opportunities.”

Ocean Tomo Federal Services plans to offer the right to license NASA’s technologies through its IP transaction platforms, including Live Public Auction, Private Brokerage, and Patent/Bid-Ask™ as well as IPX International™. “Licensing government-owned patents through our transaction platforms is a highly novel approach to technology transfer. The NASA Goddard team has an extensive and successful track record in developing and commercializing breakthrough technologies and our partnership is an excellent opportunity for us to work with creative and motivated individuals who are committed to excellence in scientific investigation and the advancement of essential technologies,” said Connie Chang, Director of Ocean Tomo Federal Services.

“While both NASA and Ocean Tomo stand to benefit from the agreement, the ultimate beneficiary,” said Cheeks, “is the taxpayer.” “This groundbreaking collaboration between Goddard and Ocean Tomo accelerates the commercialization of NASA technologies into new and advanced products that help improve quality of life," said Cheeks. "A successful partnership between Goddard and Ocean Tomo is just the beginning of an important way for all of NASA, as well as other federal labs, to maximize the value to the nation of federal technological research and development for unique scientific applications.”